Can 'Friday Night Lights' really nab a top Emmy nom?
"Now that we have their Dream ballots, how about their predictions?" asks BTN, one of our forum posters — snidely — after reading the Emmy forecasts provided by our team of TV experts.
Six of our gurus actually list "Friday Night Lights" as one of the five shows they expect to receive a nomination for best drama series: Matt Roush (TV Guide), Robert Bianco (USA Today), Maureen Ryan (Chicago Tribune), Michele Greppi (TV Week) and Hal Boedeker (Orlando Sentinel).
Hmmmmm. Looks to me like they gave us their Wish Lists, even though I begged them to let go of their own preferences and make outright Emmy predix. Several responded by saying they seriously do believe that "FNL" will make it. Mo Ryan was a bit more honest: she admitted that she couldn't resist tossing in a bit of "should be nominated" along with her list of "will be." Mo, you Cheater!
Right now the TV critics' universal fawning over "Friday Night Lights" makes one kudos prediction easy: it'll certainly win the TV Critics Association's award for best new program, program of the year or best drama series — or, egads, all three.
At least a big TCA victory for "FNL" won't result in one of their "Boomtown" debacles. Remember when they voted it best drama series of 2003 over lots more noteworthy shows like "The Sopranos," "24" and "Deadwood"? Sometimes TV critics get carried away like that. They mean well, but sometimes their overgushing looks ridiculous in retrospect. At least this time they're going ga-ga over a show that'll be around next TV fall. ("Boomtown" only survived one season.) NBC has renewed "FNL" despite lousy ratings: typically 2.3 for adults 18-49.
That's significant when sizing up its Emmy chances, because, remember, the show must land in the top 10 after a popular vote of TV academy members. If it squeaks in, it'll then get a fair shot to be evaluated by Emmy's judging panel, but there's no hope otherwise.
There are already far more than 10 strong contenders: "Boston Legal," "Brothers & Sisters," "The Closer," "Deadwood," "Dexter," "Grey's Anatomy," "Heroes," "House," "Law & Order: SVU," "Lost," "Medium," "Rescue Me," "The Riches," "The Shield," "The Sopranos," "The Tudors," "24."
Can "Friday Night Lights" really break through? Click on the "Comments" link below and offer your thoughts. Or join the dish in our forums — CLICK HERE!
(Photo: NBC)
I think Friday Night Lights can get in some of the other categories. Maybe it has a chance at Drama Series, but not much, I beleive. The Emmys have a history of throwing some recognition at shows that are critical darlings, especially those shows that are well-received by critics, but low rated, but have been renewed for a second season. (Take a look at "Arrested Development" when it won Best Comedy for its first season. Granted, drama series is a tougher nut to crack than comedy) People who vote for these shows are not reflective of the people who actually tune in to watch. I think Friday Night Lights will break through and get nominated because I feel people who vote for this and who know TV will at least put it in the top 10. The one person I see breaking through and getting a nomination is Kyle Chandler, because he was up last year for his role in "Gray's.". Possibly Connie Britton because of her tape selection.
Posted by: Chris | May 23, 2007 at 09:44 PM
Good points, Daniel, but who cares about saying what's COOL? I should've added to the blog item that I don't personally think 'Boomtown' was worthy of such lofty kudos. I thought it was good and a neat dramatic gimmick, sure, but overrated, frankly. Certainly, it wasn't better than 'Sopranos' -- I don't care if it had won before, that doesn't matter. "FNL" has a better chance of getting in than "The Wire." "Medium" has an outside shot at getting into the top 10 -- I wouldn't bet on it, but it could happen. If it does, I hear it's got one whopper of an episode and that's all it needs from there, so that's why I included it on the list
Posted by: Tom O'Neil | May 23, 2007 at 02:34 PM
Love the blog post, Tom, except for two little details: Dissing "Boomtown" isn't cool! It may have lasted only a season, but being short-lived doesn't make it unworthy, as you yourself argued during last year's Emmy race ("Commander in Chief," "The Comeback"). "Boomtown" was a terrific drama while it lasted.
Also, your list of prospective drama series candidates is missing "The Wire." Yes, "The Wire" is a longshot for an Emmy nomination, but I think it at least stands a better chance of making the top ten than "Medium," whose only real chance at a nod is for Patricia Arquette.
Posted by: Daniel | May 23, 2007 at 01:29 PM